1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bindings for snowboards, and in particular to a rotatable binding which is configured to retrofit a standard snowboard boot binding and may be both locked in a stationary position and locked in a free rotation condition and which has an elevated lock ring to prevent icing of the locking holes, spring-controlled rotation with a safety stop, and spring-loaded variations of the locking mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Snowboard boot bindings are normally screwed onto the snowboard in a permanent orientation which is almost perpendicular to the direction of travel of the snowboard. This orientation is good for riding downhill on the snowboard, but is very uncomfortable when traveling over a flat or uphill snow contour, when it is necessary to release the back boot and use that boot to propel the snowboard. Having the front boot nearly perpendicular to the snowboard with the snowboard and back foot moving straight forward is very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous because a fall in this orientation may injure the ankle or knee joints of the snowboarder. Furthermore on a chair lift having the foot nearly perpendicular to the snowboard causes the snowboard to be positioned across the front of the chair which is an awkward orientation for mounting and dismounting and is disturbing or damaging to anyone seated on an adjacent chair. Mounting and dismounting the chair lift poses a serious danger for potential injury with the foot oriented nearly perpendicular to the snowboard.
It is desirable to be able to change the orientation of the snowboard boot binding when traveling on flats and uphills and when mounting and dismounting a chair lift to orient the front boot parallel to the snowboard for ease in propelling the snowboard forward with the rear boot, which is released from the binding.
It is also desirable to be able to adjust the angle of the snowboard boot binding to any desired orientation to the snowboard to adapt to individual preferences for best downhill snowboarding performance and to accommodate different snow and terrain conditions. For example, a nearly perpendicular orientation of the boots may be better for broad sweeping turns down a wide slope, while a slightly more forward orientation of the boots may be more desirable for moguls or snowboarding down narrow trails where tight fast turns are required.
In addition, a snowboarder may prefer to be able to adjust the rear boot at a different orientation from the front boot, particularly for stunt snowboarding.
A number of prior art devices have provided rotatable snowboard bindings, but lack the improved performance and ease of adjustability of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,755, issued Nov. 26, 1996 to Metzger et al., provides a rotatable binding for a snowboard with a base plate on the snowboard and a binding plate and foot binding rotatably mounted on top of the base plate with a locking assembly for selectively locking the binding plate to the base plate at any desired angle. The top of the base plate has an indexing platform with a circular series of bores to receive a spring-loaded pin (or two pins) with a large loop for locking the binding plate in position. Indexing markers on the base plate align the pin or pins with the holes of the base plate. The Metzger patent does not have roller bearings, a screw-type lock which can be securely fixed in the up or down position, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or a retrofit capability for using the existing boot binding and snowboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,649, issued Oct. 23, 1990 to Chamberlin, shows a snowboard boot binder which allows the rider to rotate his boots while riding the snowboard. It has two base plates secured to the board and two plates with boot binders rotatably connected to the base plates. Springs between each rotating plate and each base plate limit relative motion therebetween and bias the rotating plates to return to the original angle of orientation after the rider rotates the plates. The Chamberlain patent does use ball bearings. It does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device, does not have an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, and does not have retrofit capability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,779, issued Dec. 24, 1996 to Dawes et al., claims an adjustable snowboard boot binding apparatus which is rotatably adjustable "on the fly" without removing the boot from the binding and is compatible with existing snowboard boot bindings. A central hub is attached to the board and a top binding mounting plate and bottom circular rotating plate are interconnected and sandwich the hub between them, so that the binding plate and circular plate rotate on a bearing between the binding plate and the central hub. No snow or ice may penetrate to the hub. A spring-loaded plunger lock mechanism locks the binding plate to the central hub in a series of holes in the hub. Alternately, gear teeth on the hub may interact with a plunger to lock the device. Several other locking devices are shown. The Dawes patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device. The Dawes patent does have a retrofit capability, but does not provide a low-friction ring between the binding and the cap plate to allow the cap plate to be bolted tight to the snowboard and bottom baseplate to secure the entire assembly with only four bolts with the binding and rotatable plate sandwiched rotatably between the cap plate and baseplate, and instead the Dawes patent requires a number of screws or bolts securing various layers of plates together for relative rotation therebetween. The Dawes patent does not provide an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,068, issued Jul. 2, 1991 to Donovan, describes a quick-action adjustable snowboard boot binding comprising a support plate to which a conventional boot binding is mounted. The support plate is fixedly attached to a circular swivel plate which rotates, via a center bearing, relative to a base plate attached to the board. A cable encircles a groove in the swivel plate and a handle pivots up to release the cable for adjusting the angle of the swivel plate and pivots down to tighten the swivel plate at a desired angle. Both boot bindings are angularly adjustable. The Donovan patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device and does not have retrofit capability to fit any existing binding, and does not have an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,689, issued Nov. 16, 1993 to Carpenter et al., discloses a snowboard binding system utilizing a binding plate supported on the snowboard with a circular disk-shaped hold-down plate over the binding plate. The binding plate rotates relative to the hold-down plate, which each have ribs or ridges which interact to lock the rotational position of the binding plate. The boot must be removed and attaching screws loosened to change the angular orientation. Both bindings are rotatable. The Carpenter patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device and does not have retrofit capability. Further, Carpenter lacks a wide track roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, and an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,883, issued Sep. 10, 1996 to Erb, indicates a snowboard binding which permits angular reorientation of a user's foot while maintaining that foot attached to the snowboard and utilizes a footplate that is rotatably connected in close proximity to the snowboard by a circular anchor plate. A pair of spring biased pins inserted in a circular array of holes in the snowboard lock the footplate at any desired angle. Both bindings are rotatable. The Erb patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,088, issued Oct. 11, 1994 to Vetter et al., puts forth a coupling for releasably mounting a boot with boot binding to a turntable ring which is adjustably secured to a snowboard. A spring loaded pin with a long cord is the locking mechanism. The Vetter patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,237, issued Sep. 16, 1997 to Lauer, concerns a rotary locking feature for a snowboard binding allowing rotation of a snowboard binding relative to the snowboard without removal of the binding from the boot. It utilizes a releasable latch integral with the binding to disengage a rotatable locking mechanism having a stationary circular hub notched around the perimeter with a spring-loaded pointer engaging the notches to lock the rotating binding in place at a desired angle. The Lauer patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,837, issued Mar. 19, 1996 to Hale et al., illustrates a swivelable mount for a snowboard having a rotatable binding plate attached to a circular plate which rotates in a circular groove of a base plate secured to the snowboard. A handle with a cam and spring-loaded pin secures the binding plate at a desired angle. The Hale patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,116, issued Mar. 1, 1988 to Hill, is for a releasable binding for snowboards having a ring secured to a snowboard and a block rotatably mounted on the ring with boot-engaging plugs at each end of the block. A spring-loaded double pin locking system is operated by a handle to move both pins simultaneously for locking the binding at a desired angle. The Hill patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,337, issued Oct. 3, 1989 to Harris, provides a binding for a snowboard (and water ski board) with longitudinal and angular adjustment. Riding plates move along a channel running down the center of the board traveling on a pivotable connector riding in the channel locked in place by a thumbscrew. The Harris patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,492, issued Dec. 17, 1996 to Fardie, provides an adjustable snowboard binding assembly which can be rotatably controlled without the use of external tools. The snowboard mounting platforms each have a plurality of inwardly facing radial teeth along the circumference of a centralized circular cutout, the bottom of which rests on four quadrant segments connected to a stainless steel band which moves along a groove in the center of the board activated by a lever. The mounting platform can rotate relative to the four quadrant segments and is locked in place at a desired angle by two spring loaded sliding segments with mating teeth to engage the teeth on the mounting platform to lock it in place at a desired angle. The Fardie patent does not have a secure screw-type up and down locking device, a retrofit capability, a large diameter roller bearing, an elevated lock ring to prevent icing, a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, a spring rotation control, or an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens.
None of the prior art enable a secure locking of the snowboard boot binding in either the hold down position or the freely rotating position. They require holding the locking mechanism to allow rotation and releasing the locking mechanism to lock it by spring action or friction. They further lack a central guide post for ease of alignment during assembly combined with a retrofit capability, an easy grasp elevated T-shaped lock handle for use with gloves or mittens, large diameter roller bearings for ease of rotation, a positive engagement safety device to limit the degree of rotatability during free rotation, and an elevated lock ring to prevent icing of the locking holes. The prior art patents do not provide a low-friction ring with bottom teeth engaging the teeth of the existing boot binding to preserve the teeth of the existing boot binding and a top low-friction surface of the low-friction ring contacting the cap plate to permit rotation of the boot binding beneath the cap plate.
None of the prior art devices provide an advertising or identification plate combined with the snowboard binding.